Tongue assembly for automobile seat belt

Abstract

A tongue assembly (2) for a seat belt (1) has a plate (20) provided with a sharp-pointed projection (23) on one side thereof, and a tongue portion (22); and a cover (3) of a synthetic resin covering the plate (20). The cover (3) has a front part (31), a back part (32), a projection covering part (34), and a base end part (33) fastened to the plate (20) along the other side opposite the side on which the sharp-pointed projection (23) is formed. The front part (31) and the back part (32) are connected to the base end part (33) by thinned hinge portions (35). In an emergency, the projection covering part (34) of the cover (3) is opened, the front part (31) and the back part (32) of the cover (3) are turned on the hinge portions (35) and are folded back so that the sharp-pointed projection (23) is exposed, and the front part (31) and the back part (32) extend behind the side of the plate (20) opposite the side provided with the sharp-pointed projection (23) and overlap each other to form a grip (5). The passenger grips the grip (5) and strikes a window glass with the sharp-pointed projection (23) to break the glass for emergency escape.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tongue assembly for a seat belt of a vehicle, comprising: a plate having a tongue portion for engaging with a latch fixed to the vehicle;   a sharp-pointed projection provided on said plate, to break a window class of a vehicle; and   a cover of a bendable material covering said plate to prevent damage to the interior of the vehicle in normal use, said cover being foldable to expose the sharp-pointed projection and to extend sideways from another side of the plate opposite the side with the sharp-pointed projection and to extend sideways from another side of the plate opposite the side with the sharp-pointed projection so as to serve as a grip to be gripped when using the sharp-pointed projection for breaking a window glass.   
     
     
       2. The tongue assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said sharp-pointed projection is formed on one side of the plate and is normally covered with the cover.   
     
     
       3. The tongue assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said cover has a base end part fastened to a part of the plate extending along said other side opposite the side with the sharp-pointed projection, a front part covering a front surface of the plate and connected to the base end part through a first hinge portion, a back part covering a back surface of the plate and connected to the base end part through a second hinge portion, and a projection covering part connected through a third hinge portion to one of free sides of the front and back parts and locked in place so as to cover said one side of the plate provided with the sharp-pointed projection, said projection covering part being openable to expose the sharp-pointed projection of the plate, with said front and back parts of the cover being folded back so as to extend outward from the other side of the plate to form a grip.   
     
     
       4. The tongue assembly according to claim 3, wherein: said projection covering part is disengageably locked with said one of the free sides of the front and back parts.   
     
     
       5. The tongue assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said bendable material is a synthetic resin.   
     
     
       6. A tongue assembly of a male side of buckle means connected to an end of a seat belt for inserting a plate thereof into a female side of said buckle means and for fastening a passenger on a seat in a compartment of a vehicle, comprising: a base portion of said plate, connected to said seat belt through a slot provided therein;   a tongue portion formed on said plate at an opposite side of said base plate and provided with a latching opening for connection with said female side of said buckle by inserting thereinto;   a sharp edge portion formed on one of side edges of said plate between said base plate and said tongue portion, for use in breaking a glass window of said vehicle when evacuating therefrom in an emergency; and   a cover covering said sharp edge portion so as to prevent the passenger from be ing injured thereby when said tongue assembly is normally used and to be safely usable for gripping thereof in ordinary buckling and unbuckling operations, said cover being openable to expose said sharp edge portion.   
     
     
       7. The tongue assembly according to claim 6, wherein: said cover is hinged along another side edge of the plate.   
     
     
       8. The tongue assembly according to claim 6, wherein: said cover is hingedly openable to expose said plate and the sharp edge portion and to extend sideways to serve as a grip when using the sharp-pointed projection for breaking a window.   
     
     
       9. The tongue assembly according to claim 6, wherein: said cover is made of a bendable material.